Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

Alternative:

One of my initial goals was to ensure staff was equipped with the necessary tools to assist in providing quality care to meet the needs of individual families.  After reading the article “Every Child has the Right to an Education!’  I gained great insight on the gap between ratification and implementation.  The article stated there were 69 million children, mostly girls who are still deprived of their right to a basic education.  On top of these outrageous numbers of children who are deprived; a lot of the children who actually gain access to schools still experience poor quality education and end up acquiring basic skill levels of development at the end of 12^th grade.  I must say I was a bit surprise with the numbers still being this high with the support of various organizations and government funding. This is one of the main reasons why it is vital that we support our teachers by  providing funding to help staff obtain higher educational and training skills and knowledge; thereby, enabling them  to lay a strong foundation to empower children to rise above poverty and function fully as a citizen of society.  According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO] (2011), (States have legal obligations… “As guarantors and promoters of the right to education, they must reflect these obligations in their Constitution and laws and take steps to improve education policies and strategies to give it effect,” (para. 2)  This deprivation of education is primarily due to poverty. It was also enlightening to find other organizations advocating for the rights of our children’s education, especially since another one of my goals were to advocate for more community involvement to support the well-being of our children and their families.   While reading this article, I found out that the United Nations and UNESCO have formed normative instruments to promote and develop the right of everyone to gain access to quality education, while being exempt from discrimination and exclusion (UNESCO, 2011).  These insights motivate me to strive for my goals because they support my belief of equality for all children regardless of their circumstances. They are humans just as we are and they too deserve a chance to be successful in life.

                              Reference

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (1995-2011). Every child has the right to education! Retrieved from (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/)

Sharing Web Resources

• Follow some of the outside links that you have not yet explored. Where do they lead?

Some of the outside links lead to social networking sites such as Twitter, You Tube, Facebook, MySpace, Care2, Squidoo, Flicker, and FirstGiving.

• Thoroughly search one area of the site. What do you find?

YouTube is the number one online video community resource that allows millions of viewers to watch and share original videos. Save the Children utilizes this site to connect, inform, and inspire millions of people all over the world.  This site is also used as a distribution platform for Save the Children videos and  PSAs in regards to the work they do in disaster areas as well as for the welfare of children all across the globe.  Views are able to leave comments about the video(s) they few.  The videos brings awareness of hardships families are experiencing around the world; with the intent to solicit support from society at large.

• If you receive an e-newsletter, follow a link related to one of the issues you have been studying. What new information is available?

Speak Out Today and Tell Your Senators to Stop Cuts to Children

The senate is currently considering a critical funding bill and Save the Children is asking everyone to speak up and speak out to solicit funding to continue the support of low-cost interventions that produce high- impact results.  The goal is to protect the most vulnerable victims from poverty and instability; our children.  In the past, the United States funding has supported millions of children all over the world by opening doors to education and providing support to victims of natural disasters.  One percent of all federal funding is used to save lives in the fight against disease, poverty, hunger, and illiteracy; in hopes of creating a healthier and secure world.

• Does the website or the e-newsletter contain any information that adds to your understanding of equity and excellence in early care and education?

Japan Earthquake Tsunami Relief

Immediately following the Tsunami disaster, Save the Children arranged for emergency response teams to assess the needs of children and their families.  Based on the findings, several child-friendly spaces were established in an effort to provide shelter for displaced families. These spaces promoted opportunities for children to play with other children while freeing up their parents so that they could began working on rebuilding their homes.  In an effort to meet the needs of all children and their families, there plans to establish more child-friendly spaces in the near future. These children may not have all the books and art supplies that we have access to within our classroom, but they do have one important thing that have been taken away from us and that is the opportunity to “Play.” This may actually place them at a greater advantage than we have, because children learn through the freedom of play and exploration of their environment

• What other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field did you gain this week from exploring the website and/or the e-newsletter?

One insight I gained from the website is the annual Advocacy Day.  I didn’t realize that there was an Advocacy Day in honor of children all around the world.  Over 215 Save the Children advocates attended the two day event on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.  The Congressional offices conducted over 130 meetings where participants were able to boldly speak about the issues that are negatively impacting the lives of children all around the world.

Reference

Save the Children. (2011). Japan Earthquake Tsunami Relief. Retrieved from  http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6621121/k.3D08/JapanEarthq uakeTsunami_Relief.htm

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 2

Alternative:

While exploring the Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” [GCI] website, I gained a few new insights about early childhood systems around the globe.  It was enlightening to find out that the GCI first priority in early childhood development is to target key international agencies to educate them on the most effective ways to translate the science of child development for global policymakers based on data collected from research.  Their second priority focuses on the health and developmental needs of young children in a variety of settings.  GCI’s goal is to address these issues by conducting more research and apply knowledge gained from such research to train individuals, researchers, policymakers, and institutions on the importance of supporting early childhood development in an effort to empower children’s well-being (GCI, 2011).

Another piece of insightful information I’ve gained from browsing the site is that GCI has already launched a few global projects to improve quality in early childhood.  They’ve began a pilot assessment in Zambia to measure the connection between child development and malaria control as well as implemented effective interventions to improve preschool quality in Chile.  Their future plans are to conduct research forums in an effort to build a global alliance with scholars to share findings and build publications to improve quality programming around the world (GCI, 2011).

In an effort to address the critical issues of  how mental health negatively impacts child development and society as whole, some of Harvard’s faculty is developing a group that will focus on research, education and public engagement to address the gap between knowledge and service delivery.  This will include assessments of child mental health services conducted in China, the development of preventives of mental health problems for victims of HIV/AIDS in Rwanda, and addressing child maltreatment and mental health issues in Barbados, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname (GCI, 2011).

I found this website to be very informative, because I was not aware that GCI even existed.  Just like Save the Children’s foundation, GCI is working globally to aid in the betterment of our children.  By living in America, it is so easy to forget about other counties who are not privy to the same level of opportunities we are given, but it is great to know that there are organizations such as this who are advocating for all children and their families.

Reference

Global Children’s Initiative. (2011). Early child development. Retrieved from (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/

Sharing Web Resources:

• What specific section(s) or information seemed particularly relevant to your current professional development?

Save the Children website has an article that states the opening of their first child-friendly space in Japan.  This information is particularly relevant to my current professional development because like my program, the space is designed for children to learn through play under the care of professional caregivers.  According to the article, trained and nurturing adults provide opportunities for children to play and share their experiences. It is great to know that after all the hardships these children have been faced with, that they have access to caring adults who are available to provide nurturing support. 

• Which ideas/statements/resources, either on the website or in an e-newsletter, did you find controversial or made you think about an issue in new ways?

The world’s leading toy company, Mattel, Inc., has pledged $500,000, over a five year span to Save the Children’s Proactive Disaster Preparedness and Responses to Crisis.  The funding will help support the children’s health care, education, early childhood development and emergency initiatives.   This committed contribution made me realize that there really are mega corporations and community resources that care about the future of our nation and that actually put their money where their mouth is.  I know a lot of people say they care about the well-being of our children, but I never really see the children reaping the rewards.  It’s is rewarding to see companies of this stature contributing to such a wonderful cause.   It is good to know that we don’t stand alone in advocating for our children and their families and that our community has enough faith in research to invest their dollars in our children.

• What information does the website or the e-newsletter contain that adds to your understanding of how economists, neuroscientists, or politicians support the early childhood field?

Save the Children foundation receives funds through sponsorships.  They are able to provide goods in services such as food, water, shelter, health care and education through the support of many economic business leaders.   I have a greater understanding of the role in which the economists play in the increased public investments in early childhood.   They advocate for the well-being of children by educating the public on the importance of providing a child with a strong foundation.  Their passion is driven by research findings that emphasize the importance of early interventions and how it positively impacts the child’s development.   Thanks to the economist who are speaking up and out for the early childhood arena, people all over the world are beginning to take an interest in and invest in early childhood interventions.

• What other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field did you gain from exploring the website or e-newsletter?

Other insightful information that I gained through exploration of the website is the fact that there are a number of different organizations that continues to support the Save the Children Foundation by investing in the future of our children.  For instance, there are numerous corporate community supporters that have pledged to support the response efforts in Japan.  Goldman Sachs Gives, Toys “R” Us, and Zynga have all pledged over a million dollars to support the Japan Earthquake Tsunami Relief fund.  There are many other organizations and individuals pledging various amounts in support of children’s well-being.  As long as this continues and we continue to make commitments to helping at risk children and their families, we will continue to see positive changes within our nations as well as in our communities.

Save the Children Federation. (2011). Child-friendly spaces help kids smile again. Retrieved March, 2011, from  http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 1

What I’ve learned thus for:  

My communicator for this week is Mohamed Megahed; Megahed is a Communication Assistant for UNICEF Egypt.

Megahed and I discussed the issues related to poverty in Egypt.

Egyptians defines poverty as deprivation in multiple dimensions and not only a lack of income or low consumption.  Poverty is the result of global economic crisis.  Recent economic reforms, social policies and programmers have consequently excluded children as an imperative entity within the budget allocations.  As a result of this exclusion, studies show that more than seven million Egyptian children (one in four) live deprived of one or more of their rights to enjoy their childhood and about five million are deprived of appropriate housing conditions to include shelter, water and sanitation.  At least 1.6 million who are under the age of five suffer from health and food deprivation.

My new insights and information about issues of poverty.

Even though significant progress has been made to include legislative reform, to minimize poverty in Egypt, there are still millions of Egyptian families living in poverty today and the numbers continues to increase.  Megahed (personal communication, March 15, 2011) noted that if something is not done to stop intergenerational transmission of poverty the growth and development of the nation will no longer exist.  I must say “I agree with him.” If the policy makers are not concerned with the well-being of the children, then how will they ever be given the opportunity to rise above poverty?  I feel that the policy makers need to develop an action plan to reevaluate the budget allocations to include the social protection and well-being of the children.  These children make up at least one-third Egyptian’s citizen and if someone doesn’t invest in their future today, to break the cycle of poverty, they just may end up being our poverty stricken parents of tomorrow.  

Sharing Web Resources

Save the Children

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

Save the Children organization focuses on empowering the health, education, and opportunities for at risk children as well as provides assistance to children who fall victims to war and natural disasters.  The organization advocates for funds and resources to support families experiencing adverse situations.   

Current Issue:

Support the Libya Children in Crisis Fund

Save the Children is increasing relief efforts in support of Libya children who are being separated from their families due to the mutiny of violence against the embattled Libyan’s leader.  Due to the separation from their parents, some of these children end up living on the streets, homeless and starving for food with no one to protect them.  These children fall victims to exploitation and trafficking.

This crisis is steadily rising.  Save the Children are partnering with the humanitarian community to help supply the basic food, shelter, and health care to these children.  They will also be working together to reunite the children with their families as well as provide support to children who was negatively impacted by these harsh conditions.   Save the Children is advocating for the well-being of these children by asking for the nation’s unwavering support to help these vulnerable children’s ongoing and urgent needs.

Getting Started—Establishing Professional Contacts

Establishing Professional Contacts

After reading the Blog assignment for this week, I figured it was going to be a bit difficult to connect with someone from another county to share information with, so I decided to e-mail several individuals and organizations. On Monday, I e-mailed 17 individuals only to receive 13 undeliverable e-mails, 1 read receipt, and 1 response.  I was excited to see that I had received a response from at least one individual, that is until I read the response Buzov (personal communication, March 8, 2011) noted Dear Brenda, This is very good news but are you sure that this e-mail is for me!?! Regards Prof. Emil Buzov.  I replied by explaining to her how I obtained her e-mail information from The Global Alliance of NAEYC.  On Tuesday I decided to e-mail some of the organizations from UNICEF.  I e-mailed 11 organizations and received a response on Wednesday from EGY-Cairo UNICEF (personal communication, March 9, 2011) stating Thank you for your interest in UNICEF, your email will be forwarded to the concerned staff.   When I checked my e-mail on Thursday, the following e-mail was in my box; Rios (personal communication, March 10, 2011) noted it’s our honor to be part of your coursework just send us the details. Needless to say, I was ecstatic!

Expanding Resources

I looked at a few websites to see what their concerns and issues were.  I subscribed to several other sites, but Save the Children were the first to respond with an Enewsletter.  I decided to subscribe to Save the Children website because it focuses on the betterment of children in over 100 countries globally. The organization focus is on empowering the health, education, and opportunities for at risk children as well as provides assistance to children who fall victims to war and natural disasters.   This touched home for me, because I work with military families and I want to ensure that I’m well informed about trends and issues they are experiencing so that I am better equipped to meet their needs.

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm
(Newsletter